Ph.D. Dissertations and Half-Time controls
For information about past Ph.D. dissertations, visit the Defended Ph.D. Theses section.
Dissertation of Shayida Maimaiti
Title: Molecular mechanisms of cellular control through the TXNIP protein
Date: May 13, 2026
Principal Supervisor:
Elias S.J. Arnér, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Biochemistry
Co-supervisors:
Markus Dagnell, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Biochemistry
Lucia Coppo, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Biochemistry
Volkan Sayin, University of Gothenburg, Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research
Opponent:
Allan Vaag, Lund University, Department of Clinical Science, Translational Diabetes Research
Examination Board:
Mattias Carlström, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Division of Reno-Cardio-Metabolic
Silvia Maioli, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Science and Society
Fredrik Palm, Uppsala University, Department of Medical Cell Biology, Research Group Fredrik Palm
Karoline Scholzen's Doctoral Thesis Defense
Title: Towards single-cell resolution: Exploring novel methods to study Thioredoxin Reductase
Date: 17.04.2026
Main supervisor:
Elias Arnér, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet
Co-supervisor:
Oliver Thorn-Seshold, TU Dresden, Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry
Opponent:
Paraskevi Kritsiligkou, University of Liverpool, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology
Examination Board:
Vicente Pelechano Garcia, Karolinska Institutet, MTC
Jens Hjerling-Leffler, Karolinska Institutet, MBB
Daniel Globisch, Uppsala University, Department of Chemistry for Life Sciences
Half-time control for Madeleine Barrett
Developing glutathione peroxidase 1 and 4 inhibitors for the treatment of multi-drug-resistant cancers
My project focuses on developing novel and selective small molecule inhibitors of two antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase 1 and 4. I will discuss our high-throughput screening strategy, assay development, and the use of such inhibitors to deepen understanding of redox mechanisms in cancer cells. The seminar will present my progress to date and outline plans for the remainder of my doctoral education.
Date: August 22, 2025
Committee members:
Brinton Seashore-Ludlow
Nikolas Herold
Ninib Baryawno
KI Supervisor: Elias Arnér
NIH Supervisor: Matthew Hall
Ph.D. Graduation Ceremony ("Promovering") for Radosveta Gencheva
We are proud to celebrate the Ph.D. graduation of Radosveta Gencheva. The ceremony took place on 16 June 2025 at the iconic Stockholm City Hall, marking a significant milestone in her academic journey.
Radosveta successfully defended her doctoral thesis titled “Mechanisms of Action of Thioredoxin Reductase Inhibitors in The Context of Cancer” on 6 December 2024 at Karolinska Institutet. Her research has contributed important insights into the molecular mechanisms of cancer therapy, advancing our understanding of redox biology and its therapeutic potential.
We warmly congratulate Dr. Gencheva on her achievement and wish her continued success in her scientific career!
Radosveta Gencheva's Ph.D. dissertation
Title: Mechanisms of Action of Thioredoxin Reductase Inhibitors in The Context of Cancer
Date: 06.12.2024
Main supervisor:
Elias Arnér, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet
Co-supervisors:
Qing Cheng, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet
Volkan Sayin, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg
Opponent:
Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Vermont
Examination Board:
Klas Wiman, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet
Mikael Lindström, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet
Martin Högbom, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University
Radosveta Gencheva's Thesis Nailing Ceremony
Half-time control for Karoline Scholzen
Karoline Scholzen, a Ph.D. student in our group, will present her half-time seminar "Fluorogenic probes for single cell redox signalling" on March 28. Here's more information about the half-time seminar:
Date: 03/28/2024
You can download Karoline's half-time review here: